We are faced with ever increasing oil prices and as a consequence higher gas prices at the pump. Can we save the future of our children? The greatest problem we face today is transportation, you see nearly 75% of every barrel of oil is used for transportation fuel, cars, trucks and ship and not energy production as one may have been lead to believe. The improvement and re-engineering of our transport medium should be the number one priority of every community and government on the planet if indeed we are to make a difference in this generation.
U.S. oil production peaked during the last oil crises in 1970 and has been falling ever since but consumption has increased. What was done back in the 70’s? For a while, the major US auto makers after a major upset by a small Japanese auto maker, Toyota, decided to introduce the compact automobile. For a brief period during the 70’s and the early 80’s small was in. What caused the major turn around which lead to a reversal in policy and the production of today’s gas hungry SUVs, cars and trucks?
For the last 30 years oil companies and government have know that the oil reserves would eventually run out. Thirty plus years to develop controls, energy efficiency policies and develop alternate means of fuel and transport. Today it is a know fact that world production has been drastically down since 2005 yet we still seek to discover new oil reserves; this is not the answer. Today we use a billion barrels every 11.5 days. So even if a company finds a field with five billion barrels (a major discovery) it would only fuel the world for less than 2 months! What this means is that oil prices will continue to rise and there is nothing anyone can do. Soon we will have 1 BILLION petroleum-consuming cars on the road in just three years... and that number is expected to increase 20% by 2015, mostly fueled by growth in China.
Somehow, I don't think you'll be fueling your car with solar, wind or hydro energy anytime soon. Many years will pass before these vehicles make a global impact and by then it may have been too little too late. The technology has been with us for some time, and yet we drive cars today that consume more gas than the cars we drove in the late 70's and early 80's. What has happened, will we live to see scenes from Mad Max become a reality?
I propose small changes, simple, cheap and we can start right now. Drive free zones in every town. Most gas is consumed while sitting idle in a traffic jam or circling around looking for a parking spot or just cruising around. Create free parking lots to accommodate all vehicles within half a mile or a quarter of a mile from the center of a city or town that is known to have a heavy traffic inflow. From this point on no vehicle will be allowed in. Free electric buses will be provided for senior citizen and the handicapped all others must walk. This may not sound like a great plan but it’s a start. Here in my home town of Lajas Puerto Rico we could start with the village of La Parguera. In Cabo Rojo, Boqueron would be ideals and in the town of San German the entire historical district should be off limits to cars as well as Old San Juan. I know this can be done but who will be the first or shall we just wait until gasoline eats away at a larger part of your disposable income? For those who think that the parking lots will cost too much then think again, design lot that will function as solar or thermal collectors. Think out side of the box, do the unthinkable re-make the world we live in.
Proposal number two; no drive Sunday. No vehicular traffic at all within the town limits from 8:00 AM. To 8:00 PM. In very large cities perhaps all major avenues can be closed and only allow traffic to bypass the city. These are just two proposals perhaps someone can suggest additional ideas? I know many more ideas exist are implemented across Europe today so what are we doing here in the greatest nation on Earth?
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label energy. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Did you know/ Sabias tu?
During the early 70s and into 1981 the average MPG of all cars in the USA was 26mpg the same as in Europe. Today twenty eight years later the average USA fleet of cars averages just 23mpg where as the Europeans have increased their average to 30mpg an increase of 14% where as the USA dropped 3.8% . Today the European market offers 129 models that average over 36mpg and 59 models that average over 50mpg but only five models are sold in the USA.
These are not exotic or experimental cars as is the VW L1 which currently averages 285mpg; these are normal cars available to anyone in the European common wealth. The truth has been buried by the oil companies, ad agencies and the government in order to promote larger gas guzzling cars and SUVs.
The current MPG record is held by a 1959 Opel T1 establish in 1973 with an amazing 376mpg, record which still stands. Again an average car with a high tuned engine; shocking isn’t it?
Another fact is that a car engine is only 17% to 23% efficient which means 20% of the gas you buy usually goes right out your tail-pipe as carbon waste, green house gas. What engine experts and oil companies have known for years is that only about 30-50% of the gas you put in your car gets properly vaporized for ignition, which means another source of wasted fuel and energy. Re-engineering a much more efficient engine is no secret or rocket science it just hasn’t been done in the U.S.A. Want proof, take a trip to France and pick up a Citron C1, 61.5mpg, well sorry you can not imported into the USA much less Puerto Rico. Also see what cars are used by the local police departments in Europe.
How did we get here and who is really responsible for the so called gas shortage and high prices? I shall touch upon that in my next write up.
Durante los años 70 y hasta el 1981 el promedio de MPG en todos los coches en los E.U. era unas 26mpg el mismo que en Europa. Hoy, veintiocho años más tarde el promedio de la flota de coches promedio en E.U. es sólo unas 23mpg encuanto los europeos han aumentado su promedio a 30mpg un aumento del 14% mientras que los EE.UU. se redujo un 3.8%. Hoy el mercado europeo ofrece 129 modelos con un promedio de más de 36mpg y 59 modelos con un promedio de más de 50mpg, pero sólo cinco modelos se venden en los EE.UU.. No se trata de coches exóticos o experimental tal como es el VW L1 que en la actualidad rinde un promedio de 285mpg; estos son coches normales a la disposición de cualquier persona en el mercado europeo. La verdad ha sido enterrada por las compañías petroleras, agencias de publicidad y el gobierno con el fin de promover la mayor venta de automóviles y SUVs de alto consumo. El actual récord de MPG está en manos de un Opel T1 del 1959 establecido en 1973 con un sorprendente 376mpg, récord que sigue en pie. Una vez más un automóviles promedio con un motor de alta sintonía; chocante ¿no? Otro hecho es que el motor de un coche es sólo un 17% al 23% eficiente, lo que significa que el 20% del gas que usted compra normalmente va derecho al ambiente como residuos de carbono, o gas de invernadero. ¿Lo qué los expertos en motores y las compañías petroleras han conocido por años es que sólo alrededor del 30-50% del gas que consume su coche se vaporiza adecuadamente para la ignición, lo que significa otra fuente de derroche de combustible y energía. La re-ingeniería de una forma mucho más eficiente del motor es ningún secreto o ciencia oculta si no que no se ha hecho en los Estados Unidos. ¿Querés prueba, tome un viaje a Francia y compre un Citron C1,(61.5mpg), perdon, no intente importarse a los EE.UU. y mucho menos a Puerto Rico. ¿Cómo llegamos aquí y quiene es realmente responsable del llamado escasez de petro y altos precios? En mi próximo intervención les hacemos referencia a estos mitos.
These are not exotic or experimental cars as is the VW L1 which currently averages 285mpg; these are normal cars available to anyone in the European common wealth. The truth has been buried by the oil companies, ad agencies and the government in order to promote larger gas guzzling cars and SUVs.
The current MPG record is held by a 1959 Opel T1 establish in 1973 with an amazing 376mpg, record which still stands. Again an average car with a high tuned engine; shocking isn’t it?
Another fact is that a car engine is only 17% to 23% efficient which means 20% of the gas you buy usually goes right out your tail-pipe as carbon waste, green house gas. What engine experts and oil companies have known for years is that only about 30-50% of the gas you put in your car gets properly vaporized for ignition, which means another source of wasted fuel and energy. Re-engineering a much more efficient engine is no secret or rocket science it just hasn’t been done in the U.S.A. Want proof, take a trip to France and pick up a Citron C1, 61.5mpg, well sorry you can not imported into the USA much less Puerto Rico. Also see what cars are used by the local police departments in Europe.
How did we get here and who is really responsible for the so called gas shortage and high prices? I shall touch upon that in my next write up.
Durante los años 70 y hasta el 1981 el promedio de MPG en todos los coches en los E.U. era unas 26mpg el mismo que en Europa. Hoy, veintiocho años más tarde el promedio de la flota de coches promedio en E.U. es sólo unas 23mpg encuanto los europeos han aumentado su promedio a 30mpg un aumento del 14% mientras que los EE.UU. se redujo un 3.8%. Hoy el mercado europeo ofrece 129 modelos con un promedio de más de 36mpg y 59 modelos con un promedio de más de 50mpg, pero sólo cinco modelos se venden en los EE.UU.. No se trata de coches exóticos o experimental tal como es el VW L1 que en la actualidad rinde un promedio de 285mpg; estos son coches normales a la disposición de cualquier persona en el mercado europeo. La verdad ha sido enterrada por las compañías petroleras, agencias de publicidad y el gobierno con el fin de promover la mayor venta de automóviles y SUVs de alto consumo. El actual récord de MPG está en manos de un Opel T1 del 1959 establecido en 1973 con un sorprendente 376mpg, récord que sigue en pie. Una vez más un automóviles promedio con un motor de alta sintonía; chocante ¿no? Otro hecho es que el motor de un coche es sólo un 17% al 23% eficiente, lo que significa que el 20% del gas que usted compra normalmente va derecho al ambiente como residuos de carbono, o gas de invernadero. ¿Lo qué los expertos en motores y las compañías petroleras han conocido por años es que sólo alrededor del 30-50% del gas que consume su coche se vaporiza adecuadamente para la ignición, lo que significa otra fuente de derroche de combustible y energía. La re-ingeniería de una forma mucho más eficiente del motor es ningún secreto o ciencia oculta si no que no se ha hecho en los Estados Unidos. ¿Querés prueba, tome un viaje a Francia y compre un Citron C1,(61.5mpg), perdon, no intente importarse a los EE.UU. y mucho menos a Puerto Rico. ¿Cómo llegamos aquí y quiene es realmente responsable del llamado escasez de petro y altos precios? En mi próximo intervención les hacemos referencia a estos mitos.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
